The door swung open with a sharp creak, and Bernard, with his posture radiating confidence, stepped into the room. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of S-11 standing next to Vincent. "Who's this girl?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
Vincent, caught off guard, his face a canvas of nerves for a fleeting moment, took a deep breath and steadied himself. "I was practicing some summoning magic in my room, and, well, she appeared," he explained, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. "She's a spirit I managed to summon."
S-11's cheeks flushed with indignation. "I am not a spirit!" she protested, her voice rising.
Bernard, unfazed by her outburst, turned to Vincent with a grin. "You summoned a lovely spirit, Vincent. I should have expected as much from someone with your talents."
S-11 faced Bernard, her gaze sharp. "Sir, he's clearly making things up," she said, her tone challenging.
He chuckled, "Beautiful and feisty, I see."
Vincent, with a plea in his eyes, turned towards Bernard. "Bernard. Please, leave my room," he requested, his tone soft yet firm.
"Of course," Bernard replied with a smile, his demeanor respectful. "Enjoy your companion," he added before quietly shutting the door behind him.
Vincent faced S-11, frustration evident in his voice. "That was very inconsiderate. You're a system; you're supposed to listen to me."
"But Mr. Stache thought I was beautiful, so it's fine, right?" S-11 retorted, her optimism unshaken by the altercation.
"You're lucky it was Bernard who walked in. Anyone else might not have been so understanding," Vincent pointed out, his tone serious.
S-11's expression softened as she looked at Vincent. "Yea but, now that I'm conscious, I want to experience interacting with others. To feel what it's like to connect, to share a moment, even a laugh. There's so much I don't know about being... well, almost human. I don't just want to exist in the background; I want to be part of the world, to see it, to feel it. Isn't that worth a little trouble?" Her voice was hopeful, her desire for connection clear in her bright eyes.
Vincent's gaze was firm as he addressed S-11, "I understand, but it will take time for everyone in the castle to adjust to your presence. However, that's not where our focus should be at this moment. Remember, you are the source of my power, and it's crucial for you to follow my commands for now."
S-11 nodded, a hint of sadness in her voice, "You're right. But I do hope you'll consider fulfilling my wishes someday."
Understanding her sentiment, Vincent replied, "Maybe someday. However, for now, I need to disable your physical form temporarily." With a wave of his hand, S-11 vanished, leaving a silent room behind.
Vincent then stepped out of his room, his expression somber, and found Bernard waiting outside. "It was disrespectful of you to invade my privacy like that, please don't do it next time." Vincent said, his voice cool.
Bernard, slightly embarrassed, explained, "I heard a lady's voice and couldn't help but check. She sounded so sweet; I thought maybe you'd finally found someone." A light smile crossed his face as he added, "I almost believed you were in a relationship."
"I'm deeply sorry for the intrusion," Bernard apologized sincerely, his demeanor changing to one of regret.
As they spoke, a young boy in a black suit approached. "Bernard, if you don't want the king to be upset, you should respect those who are above you," he warned.
Turning to face the boy, Bernard acknowledged him with a nod, "Riley, as observant and intelligent as ever. I hope you can forgive my actions."
Riley hesitated, then said, "I'm not sure I can, considering your perverted behavior with the maids."
Bernard's face registered shock, but before he could respond, Vincent intervened, placing a hand on Bernard's shoulder. "We all make mistakes, it's part of being human." he said, offering a bridge of forgiveness.
Bernard repeated his thanks, visibly relieved by Vincent's understanding.
Vincent then turned to Riley, his tone gentle but firm. "I appreciate your intentions, but try to show more respect. You still have a lot to learn."
Riley, about to retort with an insult, stopped himself and nodded, "Understood," he said, accepting the advice.
Back in his room, Vincent closed the door behind him. Almost immediately, a voice echoed in his mind, light and cheery. "Can I come out now? Pretty please?" S-11's voice bubbled through his thoughts.
Vincent couldn't help but marvel inwardly at the connection they shared. "It's interesting that we can communicate like this," he thought.
"Of course, we can! Since you're my host, our minds are always connected. It's pretty cool, don't you think?" S-11's voice was filled with an infectious enthusiasm.
"I see," Vincent acknowledged, intrigued by the revelation.
"So, may I come out now?" S-11 asked once more, her tone playful yet hopeful.
"Fine," Vincent conceded with a slight smile and snapped his fingers. In an instant, S-11's form materialized in front of him, her presence filling the room with light.
"Oh, don't forget to check your stats," S-11 reminded him, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.
Vincent nodded, turning his attention inward to access the information she mentioned. The stats unfurled in his mind's eye:
[Name - Vincent James Everhart]
[Race - Human]
[Level - 2,186]
[XP - 172k/5.5m]
[Age - 19]
[Rank - Nova]
[HP - 3.5m/3.5m]
[MP - 1.92m/1.92m]
[Strength - 255k]
[Magic - 385k]
[Durability - 350k]
[Agility - 200k]
Abilities:
[Divine Gear - Michael (Nova)]
[Divine Gear - Aegis Crusader (Nova)]
[Divine Gear - Luminous Titan (Nova)]
[300+ more…]
Vincent's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his eyes scanning the digital display hovering in the air before him. S-11, her voice laced with an unspoken excitement, broke the silence. "I know what you're thinking, Vincent. Your stats, they're off the charts, right? That's because they're the same ones from your last life. No more resets upon death."
"That's not all," she continued, her tone suggesting there was more to come. "Want to see the full list of upgrades?"
"Sure," Vincent replied, his curiosity piqued.
Instantly, a list materialized in the air, the words glowing with an ethereal light:
System Evolution 2.0 Changelog:
[The System has gained a personification which possesses a soul and consciousness. The personification has almost complete control over the system, but is compelled to obey their master.]
[From now on, reincarnating won't reset system progress. Past life progress will transfer over after reincarnation.]
[The System can now create and give quests that grant almost anything imaginable as a reward.]
[The absolute maximum rank achievable through use of the System has increased from Zenith to God.]
[New unique ability - Divine Fusion. Allows the user to fuse two or more Divine Gears into one.]
[New unique ability - System Absorption. Allows the user to absorb systems from terminated hosts.]
Vincent's lips curled into a smile as he absorbed the information. "Impressive," he murmured, genuinely taken aback by the extent of the upgrades.
S-11 seemed to glow with pride. "How does it feel? To stand once again at the pinnacle of power?"
Vincent's eyes narrowed, a fierce determination igniting within him. "This changes everything. The moment I've been tirelessly working towards is within reach. The Dread Monarch race, those tyrants who've cast their shadows over humanity for far too long... their time is coming to an end. And it's going to be by my hand. I'll travel to the very depths of the Abyss if I must, confront every last one of them in their dark lairs, and ensure that not a trace of their reign of terror remains. This is my vow, my unbreakable promise. Their reign ends with me—I swear it."